Disclaimer: I don't own Hana to Akuma.
Flowers go to: Light in the Void for beta-ing :)
Timeline: This is an edited version of what was originally written quite a while ago as part of a series of ficlets about Vivi + Hana's future life together. (It never quite got finished/morphed into other things.) It still takes place in the future (exactly how far into the future, you may interpret however you'd like^^), when Vivi & Hana are together as a couple.
Jugding by the most recent manga chapters I'd say this fic is now pretty much completely AU ^^; Please just think of it as random fluff xD
Engagement
The early morning sun gleamed brightly, reflecting off the glass covering the newest photograph to earn a place on the walls of the Great Demon Vivi's mansion. Hana glanced up into the frame with a genuine smile. Ellinor beamed radiantly, looking simply gorgeous in her white gown and veil; Felten as handsome as he had ever looked in his matching white suit. It was a week to the day since the fiery demon's wish had come true, and she and her long-time fiancé Felten had finally wed.
Though they had considered holding the ceremony on Earth—a plan quickly foiled by Vivi's refusal to host the affair in his garden—it had been instead held in the Demon World where Ellinor's father and Felten's parents could all easily attend. Hana had also been there, accompanied begrudgingly by Vivi, who would never let her go to his dangerous homeland alone.
The young woman flushed lightly. Admittedly she had had her own fantasies as she sat with the other guests, arms wound through Vivi's—fantasies of herself being the one dressed in white and standing at the altar, the dark-haired demon beside her. But that's all it was—a fantasy. The fact that they kissed and touched now didn't change the fact that in another world, the man she loved was betrothed to another. Vivi still has a fiancée, she reminded herself, brows sinking in despair. Rosemary. There's no way he can marry Hana.
All of a sudden she shook her head fiercely, plucking a perfectly-formed pink rose from a vase on the hall table. "No! I have to give Vivi a flower and cheer up!" she declared aloud, an order for the clenching feeling forming in her stomach to retreat. With great vigour she marched off down the hall, bursting into the demon's room without so much as a knock, as per usual.
"Vivi!" Hana called loudly, causing the maids who were busy making Vivi's bed to look up in surprise.
"Oh! Hana-sama!" one exclaimed while her companion went back to work folding sheets, "You surprised me!"
"Eh…where's Vivi?" the human girl asked, utterly confused. It was before noon—very much before noon, a time when the grumpy demon would normally be sleeping soundly. However, Vivi was nowhere to be seen.
"Oh, good morning, Hana-sama." A familiar sprout of auburn hair emerged from the doorway leading to Vivi's private bathroom; the rest of the butler's suit-clad figure was soon to follow.
"Morning, Toni," she murmured, awaiting an explanation.
"Vivi-sama has gone to the Demon World today," he began. "He said there was someone he needed to see." Hana's stomach plummeted. She had a dreadful feeling that the 'someone' was none other than his sharp-eyed, power-hungry fiancée Rosemary. Had Felten and Ellinor's marriage spurred him on to finally tie the knot with her?
"I see." The words came out as a croaky whisper, perhaps weakened by her stomach, which was flopping like a fish out of water, or the burning sensation flaring to life behind her watery eyes. Lifting a corner of her long skirt off the ground, she turned and hastily fled the room.
—x—X—x—
No-one paid Vivi any attention as he soared discreetly through the Demon World's gloom, the dim atmosphere still a relaxing change for the demon's eyes despite the many years he'd spent on Earth. From behind his spidery fringe he spotted his destination—a mansion behind a tall row of mountains about half a mile ahead—and gave his leathery wings an extra, determined flap. He was here with a purpose today.
.
"Hey, Vivi!" Felten sang, tossing one arm around his best friend's shoulder and swirling wine in a goblet with the other. "Sooo, I finally took the plunge! Ahaha!"
"Fantastic," Vivi grumbled, ignoring the disappointed cries of two female demons that were huddled nearby, lamenting the fact that the gorgeous blonde Baron was now married.
"Oh lighten up!" Felten urged with a grin that Vivi found sickening. "This is mine and Ellinor's wedding party! It's not every day your best friend gets married, is it?"
"Who are you calling your best friend?" the demon growled, focusing on the deep red wine sloshing against the inside of the glass in an attempt to block out the blonde's inane chatter. All of a sudden the liquid disappeared down Felten's throat, and the Baron began to speak in a quiet voice.
"It's nice…to finally be able to make her happy," he said in all seriousness. "I could have broken the engagement any time…but I never could bring myself to, you know." His confession was accompanied by a bashful, lopsided grin that would have melted the heart of any woman, but remained ineffectual on Vivi. "So what about you?" he asked suddenly, the shy smile transforming eerily quickly into a devilish grin. "You have a fiancée. Will you be walking down the aisle next?"
"As if," the Duke growled, expression growing even darker. Felten, not wanting his wedding pictures to be spoiled by cuts and bruises, had taken the hint and clamped up. His sly crystal blue gaze, however, had not shifted from Vivi, whose eyes were cast downward, apparently deep in thought.
.
It was true. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the blonde's frivolous words had struck a chord and he knew he had to do something he should have a long time ago. He touched down lightly in front of the extravagant mansion, allowing a servant to lead him to the salon.
"Vivi-sama has arrived, Madam," the servant announced, inclining his head as Vivi strode past him into the room.
"Oh?" its only occupant drawled, an unimpressed tone tinting her voice. Vivi looked her up and down. Sharp eyes peered suspiciously out at him from a face framed by pale, wispy locks, while thin lips curled into a sneer. She didn't bother to stand up to greet him, so he could only tell that she was wearing something dark green, decorated with patches of lace. It was an altogether unpleasant sight, but the one he had come in search of nonetheless.
"Rosemary," he said by way of greeting.
"Calling without notice? Kinda rude, isn't it?" she scoffed in reply.
"Forgive me," he muttered sarcastically, refusing a cup of tea offered by another of Rosemary's footmen. She watched him wave the servant away, rigid frown disguising her mild curiosity.
"Well?" she prompted, haughty tone completing the masquerade. "Is there any particular reason you've invaded my home?"
"Yes," he answered, a rumble of thunder in the distance echoing his serious tone. "We need to talk."
—x—X—x—
Though Toni had assured Hana that his master's business in the Demon World would be brief, it was now late afternoon and Vivi still hadn't returned. Hana sat miserably in the mansion's entryway, elaborate, frilled skirts surrounding her like a nest, twirling the same flower she was going to give Vivi earlier between her slim fingers. Vivi's been in the Demon World for a long time, she noted, staring unfocusedly at the black and white checkered tiles stretching out before her. I hope he comes home soon.
If he's married to Rosemary already, he may not come home at all, the logical part of her mind needled, but she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if to toss the thought from it. He'd come home. He had to come home.
Vivi──
Her melancholy was shattered by the click of boots on tile. "Hana?" The young woman glanced up into familiar ebony bangs.
"Vivi…"
"I'm back," he responded, proceeding to pull off his gloves with his teeth and plonk his hat down on the rack.
"Here, Vivi, it's for you," Hana said, standing and offering him the flower half-heartedly. It was in a sorry state—some petals had started to brown and others had fallen off completely from being fidgeted with all day. The pathetic blossom was put out of its misery when Vivi accepted and it crumbled to tiny pieces.
The demon stared incredulously first at the broken stem, then back to his human companion, who was avoiding his gaze and seemed to be on the brink of tears. Vivi groaned. Why did it always come to this? "Okay, what's going on now?"
"How come you took so long?" she questioned sulkily.
"There was a thunderstorm," the Duke explained. "I had to wait for it to pass before I could fly back."
"And what…what were you doing over there?" she squeaked, preparing for the worst.
Without a word he bent slightly, and with one arm across her back and the other under her legs nimbly hoisted her up into his arms. Her delicate hands came to rest on his shoulders for balance, heart suddenly racing. The demon's heart did not go without its own nervous buzz as he leaned forward, their foreheads almost touching as dark charcoal stared into deep hazel.
"I broke off my engagement to Rosemary."
"Eh?" Of all the answers Hana had been steeling herself for, it was certainly not that. "How come?"
"I want to marry someone else," he replied simply. A painful heat soared up into Hana's head and her stomach dropped for about the millionth time that day. The world spun in her disbelief—after all her agonising over Rosemary, there was some other woman he wanted to marry?
"Wh-Who…?" she couldn't help but ask weakly.
"Who?" he repeated, brow furrowed in confusion. Was she really that dense? "You, obviously."
"Eh…" With slight amusement he watched her entire face cycle through a spectrum of pinks, from a faint blush to a deep, beet red. "Eeeeeeeeeeeh!!!"
"I said..." he began again, but was cut off by Hana launching towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly with tears of relief and joy spilling from her eyes.
"H-Hana wants to get married too!" she sobbed happily, ignorant of the choking sounds the demon was making. She loosened her hold on his neck only to shower him with a flurry of rapid-fire kisses, fleeting touches all over his face that only lingered when she caught him on the mouth and he held her in place.
"Vivi-sama?" an uncertain voice spoke up as Toni, having heard noises, came to investigate the entryway. "Oh, Vivi-sama, you're home! I beg your pardon, I…" he trailed off, catching sight of their romantic display and feeling slightly embarrassed for walking in on it.
"Toni!" Hana cried in delight as she spotted him, jumping down energetically from Vivi's arms and bowling the butler over in excitement. "Toni! Vivi said he wants to marry Hana!"
"Oh my!"
"Oi!"
"Oh congratulations!"
"OI!"
"My…what's the commotion here?"
"Helga! Vivi said—"
"OI!!"
—x—X—x—
The early morning sun gleamed brightly, reflecting off the glass covering the newest photograph to earn a place on the walls of the Great Demon Vivi's mansion. Hana beamed radiantly up into the frame with what Vivi called a 'dopey grin'. Her own face smiled back from behind her white veil and bouquet; Vivi as handsome as ever in his jet black suit.